Tightening device for clotheslines or the like



L. J. WILUAMS. TIGHTEN'ING DEVICE FOR CLOTHESL'INES OR THE LIKE.

4 APPLICATION FILED .IANZI, I920 Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

UNITED STA'IJESTPFATENT OFFICE.'

LOSEY'J. WILLIAMS, 0F BELOIT, WISCONSIN.

TIGHTENING DEVICE FO RCLOTI-IESLINES OR THE LIKE.

To all whom it may concern: 4

Be it known that I, LOSEY J. W rLnmMs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Beloit, in the county of Rock and State of Wisconsin, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Tightening Devices forClotheslines or the like; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it a ppertains to make and use thesame.

The present invention relates to improve ments in tightening devices forclothes lines or the like,and has for an object to provide an improveddevice capable of quick and convenient application to a clothes line forthe purpose of taking up the slack therein.

Another object of the present invention resides in providing a device ofthis character for carrying out the above described pur poses which willbe simple in construction and designed for simple manipulation, andwhichwill be cheap in manufacture.

In the accompanying drawings forming a. part of this application, and inwhich similar reference symbols indicate corresponding parts in theseveral views:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, with one end broken away, of animprovedtight ening device constructed in accordance with the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 22 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar view takenon the line 3-3 in Fig. 1; and Figs. 4 to9, inclusive, v are diagrammatic views showing various stages ofapplying the improved tightening device to a clothes line or the like.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein only a singlemechanical embodin'ient of the invention is illustrated, 1 designates ahandle made of any suitable. material or length, and having therectangular cross section shown in Figs. 2 and 3, although any othercross section desirable may be used, as this forms no essential part ofthe invention.

. The handle 1 is provided atoneend with a groove 2 in which the clothesline is received, although anyother means to receive the clothes linemay be used. A hook 3 provided with a threaded shank 4, or othersuitable securing means, is fastened in the ham dle 1 near the oppositeend thereof and projects downwardly, the mouth of the hook,

3 being open as shown in Fig. 2.

The handle 1 also carries a rack 5 along Specificationof Letters Patent.

Application filed January 21, 1920.

.the upper edge,

tothe handle 1.

to limit the dicularly or horizontally,

Patented Nov. 30, 1920. Serial No. 353,036.

its lower edge in proximity to the grooved end 2, but this rack mayextend along the entire lower edge or throughout any portion thereofdesired, or may be placed on or on either side, or any be employed toaccomplish other means may This rack 5 is preferably the same purpose.

made of a piece of wrought iron bent or waved in the manner bestillustrated in Fig. 1 and having its ends perforated to receive crews 6and 7, by which the rack is secured It is obvious, however, that othersecuring means maybe used. Adjacent the secured ends the rack is formedwith depending loops 8 and 9 which form stops movement of the frame 10which embraces the handle 1 and is slidable and adjustable along thesame, the lower portion of the frame 10 being receivable into thenotchesof the rack 5.

The frame 10, as shown in Fig. 3, is rectangular and advantageously madeof metal. It is slightly larger than the cross section of the handle 1,so that said frame 10 may be raised to the vertical position, wherebythe lower portion thereof may clear the teeth 'on the rack 5, permittingthe frame 10 to functions the. shape of the-frame is not es sential,that it may be only partly inclosed, or may be in a T or other form, theshank passing through the handle either perpenand, by engaging with therack, or other means, be adjustable along the handle. 3

V The frame 10 carries at one side thereof an arm 11 from which projectsa pin 12 car rying a grooved wheel 13 held thereon as by a cotter pin14. The wheel 13 is open on the side opposite the arm 11 for allowingthe device to be engaged with a clothes line indicated at 15. It isobvious that a hook or othermeansmay be attached to or made part of theframe 10 in place of the arm 11. the pin v12, the grooved wheel 13 andthe cotter pin 14, and that such hook or other means may accomplishsubstantially the same results.

The application of the device to a clothes line is shown in Figs. .4to,9,-;inclusive. ,As

shown in Fig. 4, the handle 1 is placed beneath the line and the line isengaged with'the grooved'wheel 13, the line passing on the under side ofsaid wheel.

Referring to Fig. 5, the handle 1 is next rotatedabout' the groovedwheel13 in a clockwisedirection whereby the groovedend 1.12ofthe,handlel' isbrought-beneath and enrotated to the final position.

gaged with the line 15.

I n Fig. .6 the groovedend Qofthe handle 1 :is shown' fu'llyengaged withthe '-line 15, and forms-a bight therein.

7 further :position of the handle 1.

l he final position-0t thedevice is shown in Fig.8, where the hook 3 isshown'engaged over the line 15 alter the handle '1' hasfibeen The*device forms a bight inthe clothes line '15,*taking up'the slacktherein and in accordance with the amount of-the slack 'to'be takenup,the

frame 10 carrying the grooved roller 18is adjusted along the handle '1.

In Fig. 9 is also shown a .view similar .to Fig. 8 with thehandlerreversed,showing how it may be applied by engaging it over theclothes lineinstead of'beneath the same and'rotating the handle in agcounter-clockwisedirection. Theefi'ect here, howevenis the same as inthe first mentioned case;

, by the claims.

'- -I claim: V

V 1. A tightening device for clothes hnes and-the'like including ahandleadapted "to be placed intermediate.oftheiline andito be supported whollyby the clothes line, means "disposed-between.the ends of the handle forinitial-engagement with'the clothes line and adapted to form a centeraboutwhi'chthe handle may .be rotated on the'lineto form abight'therein, said handle being provided 5 at one end with means inwhichtoreceivethe bight of the l1ne,. and means pro ectmg latei ally"front the handle at the opposite end thereotand at the side oppositefroinsaid first-mentioned means whereby'to receive the line tostnoportthe'handle therefrom after it has been rotated to produce saidlight, substantially as described. 7

2. Atightening device for clothes lines and the like including a handle,an adjustable roller projecting laterally from one side of said handleand adapted to be initially en- ;gaged over an intermediate portion ofthe clothes line to support the tightening device from the line, saidhandle having a groove 7 made in one of its ends'to receive the linewhenthe handle 'isrota'ted about such roller as a center, the lineengaging in-said groove being formed into abight,and a hookprojectingdaterally' from the handle and from the sidethereot oppositetothat in, which the ro'llerproj ects, said hookbeing at the end of thehandle opposite said groove whereby to receive :the line and to holdthehandle againstrotationinthe reverse direction, substantially asdescribed.

7V A tightening device for clothes lines or the like including anelongated 'tlnn'handle,

a rack secured to said handle and having stops at its ends, a framefitted about said handle and movable into and {out of the notches in'saidrack, a roller carried by said frame and adapted to be initiallyengaged with an intermediate portion ot the clothes line, saidhandlehaving a groove tormedin itsend adjacent said .roller to receiveand 'formai'bightinthe line when the handle is "rotated about the rolleras a center, said handle adapted :to be brought parallel with fthe'line,said stops adapted to hold the line away tromsaid rack, and ahook at theother end of'said'handle opposite the'grooved end fforlfinally'receiving theline luidrfor'holding the handle against rotation in'areverse di- :reetion, substantially asfdescribed.

4. Actighteningdevice for clothes lines-oi" the like comprising anelongated thin wooden handle'ha'ving a groove made in one end thereof, ametallic thin'corrugated bar *forming rackteeth"securedfto one side ofsaid handle, said bar being looped outwardly away from the"handle nearits opposite ends to form'stops at each end ofthe rack, a rectangularframe -fitting loosely about said handle and beingtiltable'thereon, saidframe 'adapted to engagetheteeth of the rack bar :to hold the frame inadjusted position, a roller jcarriedby said drame and adapted to beinitially en aged with an intermediate part otthe clot esline,said'handle adapted ';to be :rotated iboiitzth'e roller as a centertodirect the clothes line into'the grooved end of said "handle whereby toform a 'bight 'thereingsaid han'dle adapted'tobe swung to a positionparallel With the clothes'line ex- ".tending from said bight, saidstopsadapted to space the line tromthe rack and trom said trame, and-a hookatthe end of the fhandleopposite said grooved end and projecting ina'direction oppositely with respect to said-roller-for finallyengagingthe line to 'preventreverse rotation. o't the handle,substantially-as described. c

7 I EGSEY JSWILLIAMS.

